<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>a century gone by by TWS</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/22792363">a century gone by</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWS/pseuds/TWS'>TWS</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avatar: The Last Airbender</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Birthday, Ember Island (Avatar), Friendship, Gen, Grief/Mourning, Hopeful Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Reminiscing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-02-18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-04-28 17:49:08</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,561</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/22792363</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/TWS/pseuds/TWS</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Aang lights a candle on the beach and reminisces over everything he has lost.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Aang &amp; Zuko (Avatar)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>282</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>a century gone by</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>um i wrote this a while ago but it took me like 9 years to clean it up idk why im posting it yieks</p><p>its WACK and AWFUL</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"We're out of supplies," Katara informed the group, as they assembled by Appa in varying states of exhaustion. It had been an unbearably hot and sticky night, so sleep had been hard to come by. "We need to go into town and do a restock. Who's coming?"</p><p>Always one to enjoy a visit to the market- because there was always new information to pick up about the Fire Nation, of course- Sokka raised his hand. Always one to enjoy making fun of Sokka's shopping habits, Suki also raised her hand. Always one to try and avoid responsibility, Aang tried to raise his hand- but was quelled by a glare from Zuko.</p><p>"I guess I'm not coming. I need to train." The last Airbender and the Avatar stuck out his lower lip and looked at the ground like a two year old as Zuko stared him down. "But when you're there, can you get something for me?"</p><p>There was something about Aang's tone of voice that attracted the others' attention. Toph, who had been about to make fun of him for having to do firebending practice instead of shopping, frowned slightly. </p><p>"Yeah, of course," Katara said. "What is it?"</p><p>Aang's feet shifted slightly, and when he spoke, his voice was quiet. "Can you get me a candle?"</p><p>"A candle?" Sokka asked, bemused. "What'd you need one of those for? You can just firebend if you need light to see."</p><p>"I don't need it for that," Aang said softly. There was a brief silence. "I- I need it because I want to practise lighting a candle with firebending! Because- how cool would it be, if there was like, a whole chandelier or something, and all I needed to do was flick my wrist to light it up? But you have to have focus to light something so thin, you know, otherwise you could just melt it into a puddle of wax!"</p><p>Zuko looked puzzled. "It really isn't that difficult."</p><p>"That's because you're a Firebender from birth! You're experienced with the smaller uses of Firebending! I just use it to fight," Aang said. "Come on, it won't hurt. Please? I just need a candle. It doesn't have to be expensive."</p><p>Katara shrugged. "Well, okay, if that's what you want. We'll get you a candle."</p><p>"You're such a weirdo, Twinkle-Toes," Toph informed him. "Come on, let's go, Sugar Queen, I'm sick of sand."</p><p>With her lips puckering at being called 'Sugar Queen', Katara gestured for her group to follow her, Momo flapping along and attaching himself to Sokka's neck. Aang and Zuko were left behind with Appa, Zuko surveying his student with narrowed eyes.</p><p>When Sifu Hotman and his disciple were left behind, Toph stopped in the road, causing the others to look at her.</p><p>"He was lying," she said. Suki looked vaguely surprised, but Katara and Sokka nodded.</p><p>"Let's get him the candle anyway," Katara said. "He seemed like he really needed it."</p><p>"Yeah, it's no big deal," Sokka said quietly. "He's training to save the world, we can get him a candle."</p><p>***</p><p>When the group returned, heavily laden with produce (Sokka had nabbed a bright new hair-tie), Zuko and Aang were in the middle of training. As per usual, Zuko was barking reprimands at Aang.</p><p>"Come on, Aang! Your stance needs to be more firm, we established this a long time ago!" He sounded frustrated, indicating that Aang had been consistently erratic today. Or it was because he was Zuko. "None of this airbender 'light on your feet' stuff! You need to have a strong base!"</p><p>"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," Aang said, without much feeling. His eyes brightened as he saw Katara and the others approaching. "Hey, guys, you're back!"</p><p>Zuko sighed as Aang zipped off to greet them. On another day he might have insisted Aang finish off his sets of fire punches before running off, but today Aang was so distracted that taking a break was a borderline necessity.</p><p>"Hey, Aang," Katara said, spinning around some bags of vegetables. "Practice going well?"</p><p>Aang gave a noncommittal shrug, though his guilty expression said it all.</p><p>"Reassuring," Katara sighed. She gestured at Sokka. "We got your candle."</p><p>"I picked it out," Sokka said proudly, reaching into a bag and pulling out a crimson coloured candle. "It's the colour of the Fire Nation, so it'll be a pleasure to burn."</p><p>For a split second Aang hesitated, but then a smile spread across his face. He took the candle from Sokka.</p><p>"Thank you," he said. "It's perfect."</p><p>"It's no biggie," Sokka said airily. "So, are we all wrapped up with jerkbending for the day? Can we get to cooking some dinner?"</p><p>Before Katara could lecture him about the importance of not interrupting Aang and Zuko's training, Zuko's stomach gave a giant rumble. Everyone looked at him in surprise, and the outcast prince turned scarlet.</p><p>"I think that's your answer," Toph snorted. </p><p>"I'll make some tea," Zuko said in a defeated tone of voice.</p><p>***</p><p>A quiet lull had fallen over the group as the sun retreated, bringing a crescent moon in its wake. The peaceable silence and the pleasant fullness a good meal brought was enough to make them all feel sleepy. Only an hour or so after dinner, the team fell into a slumber. </p><p>All of them barring Aang.</p><p>He lay across Appa's back, breathing into his best friend's warm fur, his eyes wide open. For a few moments he nuzzled his face against Appa's neck, before sitting upright and looking up at the stars, a magnificent tapestry of jewels.</p><p>He retrieved the candle that Sokka had bought him. Petting Appa one last time, he took hold of his staff and opened his glider, sliding it onto his back. After taking a glance at the sleeping group, with even Zuko looking at peace under the night sky, he jumped off of Appa's back and soared towards the beach.</p><p>His feet connected with the sand. It was a cooler night than the last, so it didn't burn to step on. Placing his glider behind him, Aang sat cross-legged in front of the sea, and placed the candle before him.</p><p><em> It's the colour of the Fire Nation, so it'll be a pleasure to burn. </em> Sokka could never resist jibing against the Fire Nation- and of course, Aang couldn't exactly blame him. But for once, Aang didn't feel revulsion or anger towards the red of the Fire Nation- he felt a sense of nostalgia.</p><p>A memory floated to the forefront of his mind. A boy dressed in red, beaming toothily, leaping from foot to foot.</p><p>A Fire Nation boy.</p><p>"Happy birthday, Kuzon," Aang murmured. "I miss you, buddy."</p><p>He pointed a finger at the candle, sending a tiny flame to ignite it.</p><p>Zuko had been right. It really wasn't that hard.</p><p>He watched the light flicker before closing his eyes, listening to the ripple of the waves. Kuzon's face flickered in front of him again. It was covered with soot and sweat, but the boy was full of delight. Adventure shone in his eyes.</p><p>Aang opened his eyes again. His heart clenched.</p><p>What adventures would they have gone on if a century had not gone by? A dragon egg was one thing, but the Fire Nation was full to the brim with fascinating history to explore. It had not always been a giant military complex, with discovery restricted to propaganda lessons and a vigorously controlled classroom. It was giant, it was sprawling, it was... special. He and Kuzon had not even scratched the surface together.</p><p>Perhaps Kuzon had done it alone, seeking adventure for himself. Or perhaps he hadn't. Aang had no idea what had happened to Kuzon. How many birthdays had he celebrated after Aang's disappearance? When had he died? Had he gotten married? Did he ever have children?</p><p>Had he joined the Fire Nation Army and helped reinforce terror?</p><p><em> Don't, </em> Aang thought furiously to himself, as tears sprung to his eyes. <em> Don't go there. Kuzon was your best friend and he was kind. And he's gone, so there's no need to dwell on what could have happened. Remember what he had been to you. </em></p><p>All he had left of those times were his memories. He couldn't ruin them.</p><p>Even Bumi was only real in his memories. Though the King of Omashu was alive and kicking, and still as insane as ever, he had gone through a hundred years of spirits-knew-what that had changed him for good. The immensely powerful old man had a light in his eyes that had never been there when he was a carefree kid- a light that spoke of something Aang had never experienced.</p><p>Bumi was perhaps the strongest reminder of all that Aang's past was irretrievable. Along with Appa, Bumi had been the one thing that had remained from his old life- Gyatso was a skeleton in his vacant home, he would never ever see Kuzon again, his countless other friends were probably fertilising daffodils- and even then the king was far out of his reach.</p><p>Aang could not stop the tears now. He covered his face with his hands and let himself silently sob, thinking of all and everyone he had loved. The airbending children who had played on the air scooters he had taught them to use- had they been incinerated by the Fire Nation, unable to dash away? Gyatso had been surrounded by so many skeletons- had he given up in the face of their firepower, knowing that the Avatar had fled? Had Bumi spent a hundred years facing the war of the Fire Nation resenting Aang for not being there to help him?</p><p> He had promised Katara he was going to look forwards, and not dwell on what might have been, but he knew it was impossible. All these unanswered questions would follow him to his grave. He knew he had to accept that. He would never really know what had happened, mere words would never explain to him how exactly his entire life had been destroyed.</p><p>He wondered if it would have been easier to see the fall of his world with his own eyes.</p><p>"Aang?"</p><p>Aang froze. </p><p><em> Oh, no </em>. Aang’s hands instantly came to swipe at his cheeks, brushing at his eyes to stop the crying. It didn't work. The candlelight blurred in Aang's vision as a fresh wave of tears came flooding.</p><p>Humiliation roiled in Aang's gut as he saw Zuko's utterly bewildered expression. Here he was, days before the potential end of the world, sobbing on the beach in front of a candle. What must he look like?</p><p>"I... thought you might be meditating," Zuko said in a low voice, twisting his hands and looking away. "I guess you weren't."</p><p>Zuko had quite a way with words. Aang would have laughed, but doing so would probably have lead to him hyperventilating.</p><p>There was a tense silence, in which Aang could have done any number of things. He could have put up a shield, asking Zuko what he was doing here. He could have quietly but powerfully demanded that Zuko kept his mouth shut about what he was seeing and went back to camp. He could have broken down on the spot. </p><p>"I need to ask you something," he said instead.</p><p>Alarm flickered across Zuko's face, but he quickly assumed an expression of neutrality.</p><p>"Go ahead," he said, sitting back on the sand. He glanced towards the flickering candle, his brow creasing, and then back at Aang. "Ask whatever you want."</p><p>It was hard for Aang to reconcile the boy sitting in front of him expectantly with the boy who had chased him with fireballs not so long ago. But Zuko was willing to listen now...</p><p>"Did you ever..." Aang had to pause to swallow as his mouth filled with an inordinate amount of saliva. "Have you... have you ever heard of a man named Kuzon, in Fire Nation history?"</p><p>Aang didn't know what he was expecting. Perhaps a look of dawning realisation on Zuko's face, or a darkened expression as Aang struck on a nerve- something that indicated that Zuko knew anything.</p><p>Instead, Zuko looked confused.</p><p>"You're going to have to be... a little more specific," he said. "There were a lot of men named Kuzon. Even so, I don't think I know of any who were particularly noteworthy."</p><p>Of course. Aang's lips stretched into a smile that might have been bitter, but was instead so, so weary. </p><p>"I thought so," he murmured. "It was a long shot, but I had to try."</p><p>"Try what?" Zuko's confusion turned into concern. "Aang, what's- oh."</p><p>Zuko's face fell. Despite himself, Aang arched an eyebrow at him in curiosity, wordlessly questioning the sudden change.</p><p>"Kuzon was your friend, wasn't he?" Zuko said softly. "I remember you telling me about him. After you saved me from Zhao. You told me he was one of the best friends you'd ever had. You asked... If we knew each other back then, do you think we could have been friends too?"</p><p>The memory played back Aang's mind. He remembered Zuko blasting him with fire just seconds afterwards, and leaping through the trees to escape. Perhaps that had been the first time that he had truly acknowledged that his friends, and the peaceful unity of the nations he had known, were long gone.</p><p>"It's his birthday, today," Aang sighed, gesturing at the candle. "In my mind, he should be thirteen right now."</p><p>"I'm sorry," Zuko murmured. "So that's why you wanted the candle."</p><p>"Fire Nation red," Aang said lightly, though his voice cracked on the last word. "It's the only thing I can do for him. I don't know if he started a family, or where he ended up, or if there's a grave that I can visit."</p><p><em> And I want to know so badly, </em> he thought, a swell of despair rising inside him. <em> I just want some closure. How can I live without closure? </em></p><p>Zuko let out a soft sigh. "I don't know how to help."</p><p>Aang shook his head, his anguish turning into resignation. "It's okay, you don't need to. It's not the easiest topic to give a friend advice on."</p><p>He gave Zuko a small, sad smile. Zuko twisted his hands together anxiously, unable to meet Aang's eyes. </p><p>Silence stretched between them. This was not out of place for the pair, considering that Zuko wasn't the most talkative person in the world- at least until Aang annoyed him into talking, usually to reprimand him. This time, though it was Aang that did not want to talk. Aang did not expect Zuko to break the quiet. In fact, he expected the Firebender to leave him alone eventually, because he knew Zuko understood when people needed to be by themselves, when words couldn’t help.</p><p>He was surprised when Zuko spoke up softly.</p><p>"Can I ask you a question?"</p><p>The airbender's eyes flickered over to his compatriot. Zuko's usual stoicism had been replaced by a tremulous uncertainty that really didn't suit him. Aang had only seen such open emotion from Zuko a few times, one of them being when he had gone into the Avatar State in the South Pole. It was a rare sight. Aang wondered if it was a testament to Zuko's growing trust in the group, that he was showing Aang this emotion now.</p><p>"Ask away," Aang murmured, when he realised he had been staring at Zuko for a second too long.</p><p>Zuko's fingers brushed against the sand, drawing shapes. Inexplicably, one of the shapes was the elemental symbol for air.</p><p>"You've told me a few things about the Fire Nation a hundred years ago, but not a lot," he said in a soft voice. He sounded almost shy. "Could you tell me more? I want to know more about it. Because... I have no idea what it was like back then. I imagine it's not at all the same place, these days."</p><p>Of course. Zuko didn't know the spirited, adventurous place Aang had known. For him, it had never even existed.</p><p>"Oh." Aang's brow creased at how nervous Zuko looked, asking a simple question. "Well, it was more fun than it is now. For sure. When I was at that Fire Nation School a few weeks back, they wanted me to stand with a straight back and recite from a textbook, and nobody knew what freedom was. It was like they didn't even want it. But back in the day, the kids used to be full of adventure. We all competed to discover the most interesting stuff, and the Fire Nation has a<em> lot </em> of interesting stuff. Kuzon and I were the most brave of all of them. We rode on flying dolphin fish by the coast, found a hidden cave in the mountain where a lion vulture had made its home with a bunch of stolen cabbages, went searching for a dragon egg..."</p><p>Zuko looked puzzled. "And nobody tried to stop you?"</p><p>"If they tried to stop us, it was because what we were doing was crazy dangerous and stupid," Aang said, his lips quirking. "Not because they wanted to keep us straight-backed and dutiful. Of course, there's always gonna be people like that, but whole generations of kids weren't forced into it. But now their minds get moulded, so there's no escape from it."</p><p>An uncharacteristic volume of bitterness dripped from his tongue. Aang noticed how cold he sounded and made an effort to sound warmer, because Zuko's eyes had actually softened whilst listening to his words, and he didn't want to hit him with negativity once again.</p><p>"Everyone was more confident to be themselves," he continued. "At the Fire Nation School they stared at me like I'd bashed them all over the head with a tsungi horn when I did a little jig in music class. But in the old days? There were so many Fire Nation dances, there was lively, fun music, we'd just let loose... Do you know any Fire Nation dances, Zuko?"</p><p>Zuko creased his nose. "Uh... I know some ballroom dances? If that counts?"</p><p>"It doesn't. I'm talking about real dancing, with no inhibitions!" Aang found himself getting excited again, just like he had done with the school students he had thrown a dance party for. It was strange, because at the same time, tears were sliding down his nose. "I'll teach you some classic Fire Nation moves, maybe, after this is all over."</p><p>"I'd... like that," Zuko said, a slow, curious smile spreading across his face.</p><p>"Everything was just so different," Aang said. "I'm sorry that you haven't really gotten to see it. I'm sorry that you've only really known your country against a backdrop of war and destruction."</p><p>"War and destruction," Zuko repeated softly. "It feels like that was all the Fire Nation ever was. The place you're describing sounds like a lie to me."</p><p>Aang shook his head. "Not at all, Zuko. It was completely real. I have so many good memories with it."</p><p>Zuko started drawing on the sand again. Along with the air element symbol, he had drawn the symbols for water and earth.</p><p>"My uncle told me..." Zuko hesitated, then he traced the symbol for fire. "He told me that I'm the only one that can cure the sins of my family."</p><p>He drew lines to separate each symbol. </p><p>"You're already on the way to doing it," Aang said gently. "By helping me with firebending... Even though you know I'm going to use it against your father..."</p><p>Zuko gave a distracted shrug. "I never really thought about what 'curing the sins of my family' means. Up until now I've only thought about helping you end my father's regime and stopping Azula. But it's so much more than that, isn't it?"</p><p>"What do you mean?"</p><p>"I have to rebuild the Fire Nation," Zuko murmured. "I have to wash out every trace of poison we injected into our culture. I have to bring back what was lost."</p><p>Aang frowned thoughtfully. </p><p>"It's not about victory," Zuko continued, staring down at those four symbols. "It's about... humanity. Bringing back freedom to the people. Letting them have adventures and dance."</p><p>"Nothing would be better," Aang said solemnly.</p><p>Suddenly leaning forwards, Zuko blew out gently, causing his drawings to disappear under a fresh wave of sand.</p><p>"I know your friends can't come back," he said, a strange new determination to his voice. "And I'm sorry for it. But not everything is lost, Aang. We can bring back the peaceful times they lived in. That you lived in. We can end this war and make sure kids like you and Kuzon can grow up fearlessly again."</p><p>Zuko reached out and took Aang's hand, squeezing it tightly.</p><p>"I'll help you rebuild your world," he said softly.</p><p>"Thank you." Those two words somehow managed to hold the weight of every single emotion in Aang's body at that moment.</p><p>"And... about Kuzon," Zuko whispered. "Even if you don't know where he ended up... I'm sure he's watching you save the day from the Spirit World with joy. This is the biggest adventure a kid could have, after all."</p><p>Aang grinned. "You're right."</p><p>"I always am." Zuko squeezed Aang's hand again. "It'll be okay, Avatar."</p><p>For once, it didn't sound like he was trying to convince himself of it. Now it sounded like a promise.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>